Apparatus for controlling light effects.



L. MCCORMCK.

"APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING LIGHT EFFEC'S. Awucmon FILED APR. 12, 191?.

Illbll Nl Ll MCCGRMICK.

:WP/minus FOR CONTROLLLNG LIGHT EFFECTS.

MPL10/umn FILED APP.. 12,'1911. l,

Patented 5311.21, w19.

5 'SHEETS-SHEET 3.

. L. MCCOHMICK. APPARATUS FOR comRoLLmG LIGHT EFFECTS.

5 SHEETS-SHEE 5.

is projected onto held.'

'of such an apparatus; Fig.

UNTED LANGDON PPARATU Application filed April l2.

To allie/1.0m 'it may concern.'

Bc it known that` l, Laxonox vlt'iConMioii, a citizen ot' the llnited States ot merica, residing in the borough ot t'a'nhattan, Citi' and State ot New York. have invented a new and uset'ul Apparatus tor Controlling Light Etl'ects: and Ldo hereb)4 declare the tollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description ot the saine.

This invention relates to apparatus for controlliing` light etl'ects. and especially to that class ot such apparatus in which light a. screen. sheet. or other ha fliground. :ual the improvements consist in means and coinliinatitms .vhcrehy the color of the pojected light ma7 he quickly changed at the will of any controlling' operator.

One object oi my invention is to provide an appa atus whereby an)v one of a ph ra it)Y ot' light-transmitt'ing media inajvV he in erposed. at the will` ot' the operattn. in thcA path ot light from a projectoscope. thus permitting the color on the projected i'eld to he varied whenever desired.

Another object ot'inv invention is to permit. any desired combination ot' ,such ligrhtt'ansniitting media to he interposed. so as to ary the blending or mixing. at' will. ot the color of the light projected onto the Another object ot inv invention is to pers mit pictures (moving pictures or others) to be projected onto the colored field.

A fourth olijf-ct ot in v invention is to provide a controlling device, especiall)v for such an apparatus, this device hema huilt orarranged in simulation or imitation ot an organ or piano.

Referringto the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a tront'elevation oi a preferred forni of my appa atusg 'Fitr Q is a side view illustrates the means for controlling the suppl \v ot lwater from the main reservoir; Fig. t illustrates details otl thc tanks. water-suppl;7 pipes. color-suppl)v branch pipes. color-distrihuters and overflow; Fig. 3 illustratesthe means Jfor controlling the water-suppljt' 1oranch pipes; Fig. (l illust rates the relative arrangement ot the succession ot light-t'ransmittiin tanlis: Figs. T and S are, respectively, front and side views of the color reservoirs and con- MCCZJMICK, OF NET5 Letters Patent. 'i a 2., 12H9.

191?. Serial Io. 351,638.

trolling.; nie-ans thcrtV t? is a side View of an additional i. 'jectoscope (or lantern) and mounting or the same; Fig. 1t) is a side view thereof. parts havingr been removed to show the means tor controlling the shutters; File'. 11 shows the shutters in open position; Figi'. is a sectional view through a device in simulation of an organ tor controlling the various mechanisms; 13

is a top View of the. torvt'ard part of'such controlli showing the relative arv tari ats switches. disposed ad stops. l

"nated inf.' device as a colon or dtroinatic organ.

ated apparatus may comprise raving trout uprijrhts ji and A1, ls .L12 and braces jt'. forming a l" strong frame structure. which is er wahleiroin place to place.. especi. i pro-.'idet.l with rollers (I. lt mav l tened with (rossa-ods or tubes and .35.

L.; is a projectoscope or lantern 'ed 'tornh and tlf naY he supuprieht urn resting i SLL.

'ont glass C oi" the projectoscope is carried at the forward land ot a hood C". and a tant structure designated (generally) as i ai. i

i; intcrpo-letl hetwecn the vprojectoscope and the saut hood. so that the light from the pro"\t'tosctn c will have to passy through the waitsy (which are l1;rlit'transmating) ot` the 'forms the. ond walls and the bottoms ot the or coin- 'al compartments. Each tank s frfertiow ports L sides near .its to t. ports D12. ant l "Ltoni.. each con'l argc ports. one of whi all); open pipe D,

port leads into ay normally-closed pipe entire tank structure is carried upon l? and the latter rests upon a board or the like, which is iitted between the 'and A10. e stated, cach tank has an open t troni which a pipe E leads. Such pipe intended to .suddenly lead Water from he tank and te control such sudden disthe pipe provided with a valve E iecially' 5). When closed, such holds the Water in the tanl; when vali permits discharge of the ,irough tai i le nr large pail FIO, which removably upon brackets Y ,eter/l to the uprights A and A10.

he A'valve E is shown as being; electri- -f "ly {mechanically} controlled. Especially ...ng te Fig. 5, the valve is connected end of a link E, the other end of i is connected with an armature E" hin frame F12-the latter being` secured to upright (A). An electro-magnet E sliappoitcd within said frame, and in the ci: well known attracts the armature e magnet to draw the Valve to open i n. rEhe -valve will, as usual, be returned the closed position by any suitable ii ns such as a spring.

in, apparatus also has means for supply ing water, as it Vmay be desired, into any desired tank or tanks D-D4. To assure this, the apparatus is provided With Watersnppf; pipes correspondingin number with f .nksand each for leading Water into ene ik only. The supply of water may he f yn. *from any suitable source, and. in the iii-anfing, l have shown a reservoir F, which removablyT suspended from the "ar or tube A?.

Y.in the bottom cf said reservoir and charge of Water through thatl pipe is controlled by a cock or Valve F2 (see Fig. iluchwalve or cock is connected at one cud of a link and thc other cud of which is connected -with a slide il, the latter having; a piece F5 constituting au armature ot' an electromagnet l. rThe magnet, armature aud slide are all supported by a Jframe the main iframe. When no current is passing' tlircugh the coils of the magnet, a suitable spring (not shown) will hold the described parts in the position shoivn'in Fig.

.3; 'when current is passing through thc coils the muguet, the armature. slide. link.

and valve will he moved so that Water will 1' ii" .ci l fitting G into the Ya it'or leadinf.,r thc water or compartments be as many of these e pipe E2 and into a re? E (Figs. l and 2) conen current is passed through the coils An outlet pipe FV which is secured to the upright A1" of supply through the others, so that water may be supplied to or cut oti' from any tank or compartment independently. To assure this, the apparatus has a valve 1n -each branch pipe. Each such valve may be,

in construction., like that illustrated in. the liereinbefore described Fig. 5, and each may be controlled by its own elcetroniagnet or Gr4 as in Fig. l.

So far as I have descrioed the apparatus,

'it will be plain that, Whenever esired, water may be (upon closing of an electric circuit) led from the reservoir F thence into any of the branch supply-pipes (of which G and G2 are shown) to the corresponding tank' or -tanks (DD*), 'the selection of the branch pipe or brauen pipes being under control ot the proper electroniagnet and means for closing their circuits.

As before stated., each tank has a port in its bottom and a i1oiinally-open pipe leading therefrom. lt is obvious, therefore, that the quantity of Water supplied inte a` tank must exceed that which the said open port is adapted to carry oft', otherwise the tank cannot be filled. The normally-open pipe (designatedas D in Fig. l) leads 'Water into the reservoir E5", Vbefore-menticned.

With the arrangements such as described, a lighttransmitting tank will quickly become filled, and to care for the excess -ot' water supplied, l have provided the oven How port Dubeore inentinned. The overflowing liquid is discharged by pipes D into the reservoir Vor pail E50. After a light-transmitting' tank hasvbeeome lille-d, suilicient Water Will continue to be supplied therein to-keep the desired level ot' liquid, and to maintain the liquid in motion. l have found, in practice, that motion ot the liquid is desirable (especially when color added as hereinafter mentioned) and that a swirling of the liquid is assured when the liquid is supplied into the tank at an angle.

lVhen the suppl;7 of liquid (through a branch pipe) is eut oil?, the tank will, more or less, slowly empty through the norinallypli' of Water from 'the reservoir l? inte anyV light-tran smitting tank, pressure may be mme@ sgg ring substance of 'mvo dierelit colors be supplied simuiaueousiy iut-o dii'or- "i oni tanks ,ud that the resulting color, i'iut or blend iii depend 1, pou tho Colors und ich has been Supplied into ho 7G Muismibing tanks :uid upon he pro- C ,fior 4 oroscopo or ianeri 2o nimmer, selecolor or inedin.

y iirozion contemplates commi of the iimiiei thereto, devices hereinbeford mentioned Cooriiig Y pointE for iusauco, by moans 75 gi in vlios, which wiii open :uid cios@ siouf Lute inciuiig the oioctromzignots orore'montioned. The controlling will be he will of au operuor, zuid iu prue- Cii operator has used L keyboard 80 'rank' i mi of the kind horeinafter described, 1y .Vi-)19H35 um, whrch resembles :u1 organ, :im-mg inger key: zuid sops, the oporsiiou of which opfer; and cios@ iie imfessnry swiiciws. Thug, for 1sanco., movement of tho finger keys 35 i v stops (and Consequently of die like ,Jupply @01u-ling iii; switches) may bo as proa rruugod by wiored gmk A or other signs or symbols; upon u shoot of w music composition. Thus, ho shoot muy haw, at pour@ rosuiciug from experimental 90 'ie.iiio.si1,iozi, rod s` I uud'u those points `n ik@ rendering of 1 e iuusiiifui composition. minimal he prop/er finger-kwa or siops will bu n y moved o dos@ the circuiv vfiiin. controla ho doiivory of the reddish (foimiug substance 35 mo the corresponding iight-rziusiuittiug uk.' fimultzuiwusiy, i'iu? opoi'zxtusu of rho keys or stops ui Hue imi'uirm of y coui'roi 'ho supply oi: 'antw' io u iig;

truuswifiug tank. or du: high sguw dig- 10o charge of Wu" :rorouu :is u'oii us rho, oporzuiiou oi il linger kop. stop o1'- other swich muy Soit in oporuimi. or Yury the Spoed Hier@ ihn pump F1 'io Yury the 7 und i'inj; The structures of Figs. l und 2 um no 'no fuhio, auf( ihirf: muv iw uuu-uis Il' having a ari-:iugm 'or (kwuc'iiuiilo urrzi onion. with piego Couoranu simu-turc or other .Qwxuii stru4 "inou ,if 'unk Colored 'iokis; rimsu'u zu; uforosuiii upon Tho 2 uuuiiio ihn l"o bo do' irojovtouoog.;

rubio scrovu or groumk 12g,

nd 59S usa i). mul

'for I haie esmf fzs o whereby @lozing 'from das maks HmA wendt-ting tanks D. :l duz'ing the supply of t A into the wats? i0 move of' i` ubis, having mm scopes o arms bemg sum betr-"een th o S nges 1 fili from spoken n o' 11mm D l if VIVEN Leonesa front of the bor., and M indicates its tcp. M5 indicates the stop board or board through which stops are movably mounted as hereinafter described.

The illustrated device has a plurality of finger-keys N-N O-5, (dL-Q91', which resemble the keys of an organ or or a. piano. The vdevice also has a plurality ot stops 12K-RS resembling organ stops. Each of' said parts (linger-keys or stops) is intended to manipulate switches which open and close circuits which include the various electromagnets hereinbetore mentioned.

Each finger-key may close a circuit by bringing a strip N11 against a contact N12. Upon release of the iinger-key, it is restored to its upper position by means of a spring N1o pressing against the plate N13 (Fig. l2).

Each stop is adapted to be pushed rearwardly and pulled forwardly. n its rearward position it moves a carried contact R10 into position to bridge spring contacts R11 and R12 and close the circuit therethrough. S is a main switch for starting the entire apparatus, or for lighting the garious lamps in the various projectoscopes (lanterns).

As I have shown, the finger-keys are divided into'groups. One group comprises the keys N-N-N2-N3, of which N may be used for closing the circuit through the inagnet E4 of the water discharge pipe of the light-transmitting tank D, to cause the sudden discharge of water from that tank; key N 'is intended to close the circuit and control the discharge of water from the lighttransmitting tank D2; key N2 is intended to close the circuit of the magnet which effects the sudden discharge of water from the light-transmitting tank D3, while key N3 is intended to` close the circuit of the magnet controlling the sudden discharge of water I those indicated as -O, of .which 0 may from the 'light-transmitting tank D4.

A second group of finger-keys comprises be employed to close the circuit through an electro-magnet H25 of the color tank Hf; @i may be used to close the circuit of the electro-magnet of the tank H2; finger-key 02 maybe employed to close. the circuit ot the color tank H3, and finger-key Ot may be employed to cli-ose "he circuit in color tank H4; or linger-keys 0* and 05 may be used to close any two of the said circuits so as to feed color from two of the color-tanks into two of the light-transmitting tanks.

A third group of inge-keys comprises those lettered QQ-Q9. Of these, Q may be used to close the circuit through an electro-magnet L of the additional projectoscope J beforementioned; the finger-key Q95 may be used to close the circuit ot' the electro-magnet of the additional projectoscope JUG; the finger-key Q9 may be used lo close the circuit ot the electro-magnet ot the additional projectoscope JM; the finger-key Q9? may be used to close the circuit ot' the magnet of the additional projcctoscope JW; the finger-key Q98 may be used to close the circuit. of the electromagnet of the additional projectoscope JSS, while the i'ingcr-key Qn may be used to close the circuit ot the electromagnet of the additional projectoscope J.

It will be understood, of course, that the various keys may be pressed in any desired combinations, so that it is possible, as an instance, to simultaneously cause the discharge of water from one or more of the light-transmitting tanks, the supplying of coloring substance to one or more of the other light-transmitting tanks and the projection from one or more of the additional projectoscopes onto the colored field ot' light projected from the main projectoscope B.

rThe stops in the switch structure are indicated as R-R8. These may be used to close circuits for any purpose, for instance, as additional to or as substitute for some of the finger-keys or for other purposes.

In practice, an operator may place a guide upon a support T (Fig. l2). Said guide may be a sheet of musical composition, having added thereto, at desired points and 'as pre-arranged, suitable signals or symbols.

AS the musical composition is rendered, the operator, by pressing the finger-keys or pulltransmitting Walls in'front of the said ro.

jectoscope, a second tank, means for supplying water from the first tank to the second, and a pump carried by the second tank for compressing air therein above the contained water. y

2. n an apparatus for controlling light effects. a proj'ectoscope. a tank having lighttransmitting walls in front of the said projectoscope, means for supplying water into said tank, means for varying the speed of the supply of water, and a controller t'or the last-mentioned means. l

3. In an apparatus for controlling light eiects, a projectoscope. a tank having lighttransmitting walls in front of the said projectoscopc, and means for controlling the quantity of vatersupplied into said tank, the latter having a normally open port near its bottom for leading water therefrom.

4. In an apparatus for controlling light eli'ects, a projectoscope, a tank having lighttransmitting walls in front of the said projectoscope. and means tor supplying'water into saidv tank, said tank having two ports near its bottom, one of said ports being normally open and the other being normally closed, and means for opening the secondinentioned port as desired. v

ln an apparatus for controlling light eti'eets, a projectoscope, a tank having lighttransinitting Walls in front of the said projectoscope, and' means for supplying 'WaterY into said tank, saidtank having two ports near the bottom, oiienormallyv open and the other normally closed,'and an electro-inagnet and means controlled thereby for opening the second-mentioned port as desired.

6. In an apparatus for controlling light eects, a projectoscope, a tank having lighttransmitting Walls in front of the said projectoscope, and means orsuppyliiig Water into said tank, said tank having anormallyopen ort near its bottom for leading'water there rom and also .having an overflow port in one side thereof near its top. I

7. In' an apparatus forcontrolling light effects, a projectoscope, a tank having translucent Walls in front of the said projectoscope, means for supplying Water into said tank, means for varying the/speed of the supply of water, electrical connections for operating both said means and manually operable circuit closers inici'rcuit With said electrical connections.

8. In an apparatus for controlling' light ei'ects, a projectoscope, a series of tanks each having light-transmitting Walls and vvi'tl'iv the Walls of the several tanks disposed in ter, and separate means for causing a rapid discharge of water from the tank.

l0. ln an apparatus for controlling light edects, a projectoscope, a tank having lighttransmitting Walls in front of the said projectoscope, a pipe for supplyingvwater into said tank, and a normally open port near the bottom of the tank andoutof alinenient with the supply pipe, to contribute a Whirl'- Y ing motion to Water Within the tank.

il. ln an apparatus itor controlling light effects, a projectoscope, a tank having lighttransmitting Walls in front of the said projectoscope, means ior supplying water into said tank, and means for independently supplying coloring material into the supplied water.

l2. ln an apparatus for controlling light eiifeots, a preicctoscope, a tank having light- .'tiansniitting Walls in front of 'th s ,said tank, a container for li electro-magnet for operating the valve.

effects, a projectoscopa a tank havin ally-operable circuit-closer in circuit with .said eleotro-magnet.t

.said tank, a plurality of containers l coloring material, and means, one container, for selectively coiiroini 4aesinet.

jectoscope, means for supplyi material and a tube leading liep` i container-'into the tank,A 13. In anfapparatus for coni'nollinf' ih effects, a projectoscope, tank havin transmitting Walls in iront of s jectoscope, means for supplying wa saidtank', means for independently suppl"- ing coloring material into the l i ter,vand a controller for hath sa' 14. In an 'apparatus for cont e'ects,'a projectoscope, a tanl: l transmitting walls in ci t jectoscope, means iiorsuppl,f Ang i 4. said tank. and nieansior independently sup-- plying coloring material into the supplied Water, said means including a valve and an liebt, light o n ,1 D transmitting. Walls in Iront or me said projectoscopc, means for supplying Water into said tank, means for independentlya supplying coloring material into the supplied rsater, said means including a valve, an electromagnet for operating. the valve, and a manu- 15. ln an apparatus i'or controlling 16. iii an apparatus for controlling light e'ects, a, pioje'ctoscope, a tank having iighttransmitting Walls in front of 'the said projectoscope, means Jfor supplying into supply of coloring liu into the supplied 17. ln an apparatus 'i effects, a projecto-seep transmitting Walls iii i scope, means for suppl tank, a plurality oi' sontt coloring material, and means operable therelo'i if i trolling the supply o said containers into 18. in' an apparatus ier control7 effects, a pi'ojectoscope, a f ries o each having liglit-transmi with the walls of the several t, in iront oit said projectoscope, me supplying'Water into oi'. said tais plurality ot.' containers for liquid col material, lthe contaii 'a being arirenget groups coi'rts} iondinn` i nunih to the tanks, and means or seleetiuely ling the supply of co` any container of a gr spending tank.

ln an apparatus io o'ocls, a project I tiaiisixiitting w jcctoscope, ineens itt Cri vmation i1 an apparatus for Controlling Uff' jectoscope, a 'tank hzwnfv 4m- Hmzng EVANS in fmmt of the plof@ 'lwmans foi* supplying 'Water into .Said mnns :for imlependeny supplj7a ng maern into the. supped Wam@ L'nwe-mniomzd parts being# m md in Cmnbuntsn with a portof L c@ Rhin-aim.

in a

l ing w' my, u sepmnt-e projoumh tions o mntrolng the f csired @on .scape smid means compris L u Litzy of ugrai" mm1', mld am mldonz m1115111 uis; having a mms 52nd Dara Lxsmnm MCCORI l uid Coming 

